Now it’s time to learn more about the authors we read. . .
What drew you to the genre you write?
I’ve always liked mysteries, from the Famous Five & Sherlock Holmes when I was a kid, to Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, and many more as an adult.
Tell us how you got into writing?
I read a book I really liked (Gideon the Ninth) then saw the author came from my hometown. I emailed her, and she very generously wrote me back, giving me advice for how to get started writing. And I followed that advice 🙂
What jobs have you held before, during and/or after you became a writer?
Architect, itinerant superyacht deckhand, copywriter, full-time mum… writing every spare minute on the side.
How many books do you have published?
Six
Where do you write?
Anywhere possible, but mostly at a desk.
What’s your favorite genre to read?
It really depends on my mood and what’s happening in my life at the time. Everything from space opera to romance, to mysteries, to the occasional non-fiction.
What is something people would be surprised to know about you?
Hmmm… I like marmite on toast. To anyone who’s not a kiwi and has tasted it, that’s probably surprising 🙂
Who is an author you admire?
So many… Lois McMaster Bujold, Agatha Christie, Tolkien, Ursula le Guin, Terry Pratchett, it’s a very, very long list.
Have you any advice for aspiring or beginning writers?
Start with short stories. That way you can practise beginnings, middles, and endings. Then go on to longer stories.
What is next for you?
Publishing book 3 in the Retired Assassin’s Guide series, and then starting book 4 🙂
Where can we find you?
Online, or in real life? Online, at naomikuttner.com. In the real world, I’m probably doing something glamourous like changing diapers, or trying to remember if the Oxford comma goes before or after the brackets.
NOW TO HAVE SOME FUN . . .
Breakfast, lunch, or dinner
Breakfast with coffee!!!!
Fruits or vegetables
Fruit. Because fruit.
Sweet or salty snacks
Mmmm. Can’t go past really salty and vinegar-y chips.
Ice cream, cake, or pie
Love a good pie.
Cooking, baking, or dining out
Baking when it’s cold and rainy outside. Dining out when my friends are in town.
City life or country living
Anywhere near the beach.
Beach or mountain
Beach!
Early bird or night owl
Early bird
Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall
Summer with a side helping of spring
Extrovert or introvert
Introvert mostly, but I do enjoy outings. Just not too much.
AND EVEN MORE FUN . . .
What is your favorite movie?
That’s a hard one. It’s a toss up between Star Wars and The Princess Bride — two formative childhood movies. And if you have to ask ‘which Star Wars‘ I just don’t even know where to begin…
You are stranded on a deserted island. What are your three must-haves?
An EPIRB to get me rescued! And then lots of water and equal quantities of peanut butter sandwiches 🙂
My bio:
Naomi is a writer living in New Zealand. When not busy writing or raising her twin son and daughter, she spends her free time (ha!) surfing, kitesurfing, and retrieving her shoes from Max the dog.